EMST and Angeliki Giannakidou Win Major European Museum Academy Awards

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Greece’s National Museum of Contemporary Art Athens (EMST) has won the 2026 European Art Museum Award, while Angeliki Giannakidou, founder and president of the Ethnological Museum of Thrace, has received the European Museum Academy’s Longlife Achievement Award.

The two Greek distinctions were announced at the European Museum Academy awards ceremony in Alicante, Spain, marking international recognition for both contemporary art and the preservation of Thrace’s cultural heritage.

According to the Ministry of Culture, Giannakidou’s award honours four decades of work documenting, preserving and promoting the history and traditions of Greece’s border region.

The Ethnological Museum of Thrace was also recognised by the European Museum Academy in 2025, receiving a Special Distinction at the DASA Awards for its innovative approach to museum education.

Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said Giannakidou’s recognition underscored the significance of the museum’s work and its contribution to preserving the cultural identity of Thrace.

“For four decades, with tireless dedication, scientific rigour and deep commitment to her region, Angeliki Giannakidou has played a leading role in preserving, documenting and promoting the history and traditions of our country’s border region,” Mendoni said.

She described the Ethnological Museum of Thrace as a vibrant cultural institution whose work extends beyond exhibitions to research, publications and educational programmes.

The museum has carried out research into Thracian music, pottery, metalworking and cuisine, while developing programmes aimed at connecting the region’s cultural heritage with contemporary audiences.

Mendoni said the Ministry of Culture would continue to support Giannakidou’s work, adding that the international honour highlighted the contribution of regional museums to contemporary culture.

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